jbevans
join:2001-08-19
Daphne, AL
|  Which Programming Language?
There's not really a best place to ask this question so I come here where I know there are experts.
I want to learn how to program. Nothing extensive at first, just to develop a good solid foundation. I am quite comfortable with a computer and handle the applications quite well. I will be large learning from on line resources and tutorials.
If you were starting all over and had no real programming skills, which language would you choose to study first?
Thanks
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anthrorules
Premium
join:2003-09-14
Rollinsville, CO
 ·Qwest.net
 ·IonSKY
| Java, Ruby on Rails, and PHP
These are all marketable languages to know. Plus you can do cool things with all of them.
I recommend dowloading Eclipse (www.eclipse.org), which is an "IDE" rather a RCP (Rich Client Platform) that has plugins for all these languages. There are many tutorials and "hello world" examples out there as well.
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swhx7
Premium
join:2006-07-23
Elbonia
 ·RoadRunner Cable
1 edit | reply to jbevans
I'll second anthrorules' recommendations, especially Java. You'll learn object-oriented concepts and techniques, without the additional learning curve of direct memory management.
The "bottom up" sequence would be assembler, then C, then C++ - a great foundation for anything, but it's the long hard way.
PHP is fun and you can learn web technology along the way.
(Edited to correct username of 2nd poster) |
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yock
TFTC
Premium
join:2000-11-21
Fairfield, OH | reply to jbevans
If you want to try a different approach to learning the concepts of object-oriented programming, try Alice.
»www.alice.org/ |
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cowboyro
join:2000-10-11
Shelton, CT | reply to jbevans
PHP is fun and easy, but consider the .NET platform for a career. Despite the fact that PHP freaks will slam it down, it pays WAY better than PHP and most big companies don't even consider it as a development platform. |
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johnnyboyct
join:2003-06-11
Newington, CT
·Cox HSI
| said by cowboyro  :PHP is fun and easy, but consider the .NET platform for a career. Despite the fact that PHP freaks will slam it down, it pays WAY better than PHP and most big companies don't even consider it as a development platform. I love you cowboyro 
I really beg to differ though. |
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cowboyro
join:2000-10-11
Shelton, CT
 ·AT&T U-Verse
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| said by johnnyboyct :said by cowboyro :PHP is fun and easy, but consider the .NET platform for a career. Despite the fact that PHP freaks will slam it down, it pays WAY better than PHP and most big companies don't even consider it as a development platform. I love you cowboyro I really beg to differ though. Do you know of many PHP jobs paying 100k? Because I know of .NET jobs paying that  |
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johnnyboyct
join:2003-06-11
Newington, CT
·Cox HSI
1 edit | reply to jbevans
Ive seen em, the ones I get spammed with are less than that, but they are there, just not posted. They contact you.
Ive seen them though.
There seems to be a certain evolutionary path. Guy is good at excel, thinks hes a DB guy. Tries .net, thinks hes a programmer. Works in IT for a few years, lands a job making 100k+. So your right in a sense. But a big reason I made the switch (learned the .net languages in school) was all the .net people I met (I MET, NOT ALL) where morons. It seems you have to work harder to code something you dont typically run on your desktop.
JUST MY HMO
John
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JPuppy
Java Heathen
Premium
join:2002-11-24
Honesdale, PA
clubs:
| reply to cowboyro
said by cowboyro :PHP is fun and easy, but consider the .NET platform for a career. I find it amusing that you knowingly compare a language to a platform =)
I love Java, but wouldn't recommend it as a first language. PHP would get my vote.
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MidrangeMan
join:2000-09-22
Schaumburg, IL
·Vonage
1 edit | reply to anthrorules
said by anthrorules :Java, Ruby on Rails, and PHP I concur on Java and PHP ... both are easy to learn and widely used. This means there are lots of resources and very marketable.
Personally, I would lean towards Java ... as it can be (and is) applied to most facets of computing ... client, server, web, embedded, etc.
"Ruby on Rails" isn't a language ... it's a framekwork. Ruby is the language. While Ruby is the latest hot thing, I have my doubts as to how widely it's used.
david
Java and RPG programmer on IBM i
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marigolds
Gainfully employed, finally
Premium,MVM
join:2002-05-13
Saint Louis, MO | reply to jbevans
Java is pretty straight forward for learning OOP.
A big advantage is that if you learn Java then learn to use the Eclipse IDE with Java, you have a gateway into many other languages that have Eclipse plugins. |
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Seandhi
Seeing From a New Level
Premium
join:2003-04-19
Humble, TX
| reply to jbevans
My favorite languages are C# (especially as of .net 3.5 (LINQ is awesome)) and Ruby. Both will teach you proper OOP, but dynamic languages, such as Ruby and Python, can be run in real-time, allowing you to learn specifics of the language as you type them without the need to recompile every time you want to try something new.
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tomk62
join:2001-11-01
Trenton, NJ
| reply to cowboyro
said by cowboyro :consider the .NET platform I second that. Go to »www.asp.net/ - they give you everything you need there ... |
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usa2k
Please PRAY for Rebekah
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join:2003-01-26
Canton, MI
clubs:
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| I found PHP very natural, and java is still a stumbling block for me.
I got a kick out of this video the other day ...
»media.pragprog.com/movies/LearnT···2006.mov
I think its comparing java to Ruby? |
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jayco437
Premium
join:2001-08-11
Lincoln, NE | reply to jbevans
Ruby or Python. Plenty of good free documentation on both available online. |
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dave
Premium,MVM
join:2000-05-04
not in ohio | reply to jbevans
Whitespace, of course! |
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sdgthy
@optonline.net
| reply to jbevans
If you truly want to learn programming, which every one you would have the most use for. If you don't have a need to create something, you won't learn much. C/C++ very good to know, VB doesn't hurt, assembly even better. Various script languages come and go and are usually some variation of C or Basic, some pretty much a waste unless you have a need to use them often, but they can be good practice.
The key being what can you think up to write? VB is good to know to script applications. Php is very much like C/C++, but usually only used for dynamic websites. |
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Gomez
Been drinking brew for breakfast?
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join:2001-02-21
Atlanta, GA
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| said by sdgthy :
Php is very much like C/C++, but usually only used for dynamic websites.
I'm at an odd loss for words.
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Seandhi
Seeing From a New Level
Premium
join:2003-04-19
Humble, TX
| reply to sdgthy
said by sdgthy :
...assembly even better. I'm sorry, but telling a beginner to learn assembly language is just asinine. The odds of actually having to use assembly (unless you are doing microprocessor or embedded systems development) in the real world are next to none; plus, there is no better way to turn off a beginner than dumping that on them.
Various script languages come and go and are usually some variation of C or Basic, some pretty much a waste unless you have a need to use them often, but they can be good practice. Perl and Python have been around for some time, and they are widely used in many Linux distros, and some games (like my favorite Civ 4) and some applications (OpenOffice.Org) use Python for scripting. Ruby is also gaining popularity in these types of applications (Ruby is used for scripting Google's SketchUp program).
I would recommend that beginners jump into a scripting language such as Python or Ruby. Both can teach proper OOP techniques, or they can be used to write procedural code. They also have the added benefit of being able to run the code dynamically to see the outcome of their program as they type it (Python - python without arguments or Ruby - irb), which I believe is a great way for a beginner to get excited about programming... instant gratification.
Php is very much like C/C++ Why? Because it has curly braces and semicolons? As far as I can tell, that's where the similarities end.
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dave
Premium,MVM
join:2000-05-04
not in ohio
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1 edit | said by Seandhi :but telling a beginner to learn assembly language is just asinine. The odds of actually having to use assembly (unless you are doing microprocessor or embedded systems development) in the real world are next to none; Absolutely agree. I'm a systems guy (distributed file system protocols is my game), and I think I've written perhaps 4 words of Intel assembler in the last 5 years.
(Interlocked increment/decrement functions, in inline assembler in gnu c++, for thread-safe shared counters without heavyweight mutexes, in case you cared. We run on dedicated hardware, so I can make assumptions about the instruction set if it's really useful, though I frown on the idea as a general practice).
I'm always suspicious of any case that says 'learn assembler' without saying the architecture, hence which assembly language, we're discussing. Contrary to rumors, there is more than one instruction set in the world.
Intel x86 assembler should be kept in a closet and only brought out on Halloween to scare the children.
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